Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

Salem Academy and College, the oldest continuously operating educational institution for girls and women in the country by its founding date of 1772, invites applications for Executive Director of Marketing and Communications.

About Salem Academy and College:

Salem Academy and College is the oldest continuously operating educational institution for girls and women in the country.  Since 1772, the institution has engaged in transformational change to innovate women’s education. Founded with the mission of making education accessible to all, Salem has a rich 250-year-old history and a long-standing track record of educating students who are prepared to make a bold impact locally, nationally and globally through liberal arts education. Our graduates are committed to making the world a better, healthier and more equitable place. Salem College is the nation’s only liberal arts college exclusively dedicated to developing the next generation of health leaders.

Salem College has more than 40 full-time faculty and over 150 staff members who support approximately 500 students including full-time undergraduates, part-time students and graduate programs. Salem recently received the largest philanthropic gift in its history with a $5M anonymous donation focused on enabling our health leadership transformation as well as a $3.6M estate gift to support the College. Salem completed its 250th-anniversary campaign this year exceeding a $12.5M goal.

U.S. News & World Report 2022-2023 Rankings, ranked Salem College No. 1 among all National Liberal Arts Colleges in America as a Top Performer on Social Mobility. Our institution has rapidly moved up the national ranking for Social Mobility, from No. 10 in 2020 and No. 4 in 2021 to No. 1 in 2022.  Salem College is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 2 National Liberal Arts College in North Carolina. Salem has been ranked among the top three National Liberal Arts Colleges in North Carolina for the past seven years. In addition, Salem College was ranked 6th in the nation for college affordability last year.

Salem College is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a vibrant college town known as the “City of Arts and Innovation". Winston-Salem is a lively academic community, home to six institutions of higher education and more than 26,000 students. Winston Salem has a collaborative and engaged academic community with strong private and public schools, excellent healthcare systems, and affordable housing. The Winston-Salem area also offers a rich variety of cultural opportunities and has a vibrant art and restaurant scene. Within a few hours of campus are mountains for skiing, camping, or hiking; rivers for whitewater rafting; and the beautiful ports and beaches of North and South Carolina.

Position Summary:

Under the direction of the Chief Enrollment Officer and VP for Institutional Effectiveness, the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications is responsible for the leadership, management, and planning of the strategies and actions which promote the mission, vision, and goals of Salem Academy and Salem College through internal and external communications, marketing and branding, strategic partnerships, and image development.  The Executive Director of Marketing and Communications plays an important role in the management of operations in the marketing and communications areas of the academy and college, in creating content associated with the mission, vision, and goals of the institution, and in strengthening the marketing and communications work done in other areas of the institution including Academy and College admissions, advancement, alumnae engagement, and the Office of the President.  The ED of Marketing and Communications is a part of the President’s Leadership Council, and consults regularly and closely with the President on messaging.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Marketing and Brand Management:  Develops and executes long term marketing strategies designed to promote the Institution’s mission and brand positioning to include advocacy and quality control of brand and trademarks, internally and externally. Directs the planning, development, editorial content, production, and evaluation of promotional campaigns and collateral (print, website, electronic). Oversees the ongoing development and maintenance of the Institution’s external website and campus Intranet to include components for measuring and assessing performance and effectiveness.
• Student Enrollment:  Works collaboratively to strategize development and delivery of a myriad of departmental communication and marketing needs. Works to identify, develop, and deploy marketing and communications strategies to support the recruitment of prospective students and retention of current students at the Academy and the College.
• Strategic Communications:  Provides leadership in the planning, development, and direction of communication strategies and long-range public relations programs. Collaboratively works with the institution’s leaders to develop and plan public relations/media relations activities that are designed to elevate public awareness and visibility of the Institution (locally, regionally, and nationally). Develops and maintains effective working relationships with media representatives. Designs, executes, and manages strategic communication plans for student, employee, crisis, and external communications. Oversees the ongoing development and maintenance of the institution's social media strategy.
• Communication Counsel:  Serves as the primary Public Information Officer. Acts as the official media contact/spokesperson as required and/or requested by the Chief Enrollment Officer. Serves as an advisory member of the Institution’s Crisis Management Team. Provides strategic communications and media relations counsel, writing, and presentation support to the President and other senior administrators.
• Communications & Marketing Governance:  Develops guidelines and procedures governing the release of information by the Institution. Determines needs for new policies and procedures and for revision of existing guidelines related to campus communications, internally and externally. Produces and publishes training literature, material, and workshops for effective execution of marketing and communication plans. Develops the marketing and communications budget.
• Performs other related duties as required to support the mission of the Institution and as directed by the Chief Enrollment Officer and VP of Institutional Effectiveness.

 Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in public relations, marketing, communications, journalism, business or a related field
• Experience developing a communication or marketing plan with proven results
• Minimum of three years of marketing/communications leadership experience
• Experience supervising, directing, and mentoring the work of others
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively
• Demonstrated ability to manage and lead social and digital media initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and execute a variety of tasks simultaneously and to exercise judgment and discretion

• Demonstrated ability as a public speaker and serving as the organization’s representative at public and private events
• Demonstrated ability to perform responsibilities in a timely and efficient manner as well as be reliable, resourceful, tactful, self-starting, flexible, and cooperative.

  Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a related field
• Experience in higher education and/or corporate public relations, communications, marketing, and social media
• Working knowledge of graphic, web, and social media applications and tools, including MS Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, and WordPress on PC and MAC computers
• Working knowledge of state government and the political process

• Experience with brand development and professional writing
• Proven ability to interact effectively, cooperatively, confidentially, and tactfully with internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to establish productive working relationships with media, faculty/staff, and the community at large.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule to include occasional evenings and weekends.
• Experiences with communicating to young (14-25) audiences

Physical Functions:

While performing the responsibilities of the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, the employee is required to sit for varying lengths of time; bend, reach, lift, push, and pull up to 25 pounds; occasionally stand, walk, and kneel and regularly ascend/descend stairs; use hands and fingers to handle or feel and manipulate keys on a keyboard; perform extended periods of work at a computer workstation, view a computer monitor; perceive sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and receive detailed information through oral communication; express and exchange ideas by means of spoken word; and work in an office setting.

Application Process:

To apply, please send a letter of interest addressing your qualifications for the position along with a resume or curriculum vitae and three professional references to hr@salem.edu. The letter of interest may be addressed to the “Search Committee.” The review of applications will begin immediately and will be ongoing until the position is filled.

Salem Academy and College is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law.